Bodkin fabricating machine



F eb. 8, 1944.

L. HALPER 2,341,037

BODKIN FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

Luu/s Hm. FE'R BY W, 1 Liz HTTUR'NEH Feb. 8, 1944. HALPER 2,341,037

BODKIN 'FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' I11,76 Illm BY MM} M INV ENT OR.

Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nonKIN FABRICATINGMACHINE Louis Ha'lper, Brooklyn, N. Application December 24, 1940,Serial $10,371,539

' ZJClaims. ,(01. 153-1) This invention relates to machines .for cappingwire ends and especially to machines for fabricating bodkins.

In various types of clothing, especially uniforms and the like, in whichdecorative buttons are used, it has been the practice not to sew thebuttons directly upon the uniform, but rather to detachably engage thebuttons to the garment. This has been done in various ways. One of theways is that of slidably mounting the button eye upon a bodkin having anelongated eye.

One of the best methods of making such bodkins is the forming thereoffrom wire and then capping the'two free wire ends. Since the point ofthe bodkin must bepassed through all different kinds of fabric, it isdesirable that the'point be relatively smooth, that is to- -say, thatthe point have no undesirable roughness or protuberances which wouldinterfere with the passing of the bodkin point through the fabric-Normally, in order to facilitate the passage of the bodkin point throughthe fabric and to properly position thebuttons with relation to thegarment, the garment is provided with a series of eyelets which arereenforced at the edges thereof by embroidery or other stitching,

The present invention is concerned principally with a machine for thequick andeasy application of the bodkin cap to the free ends of thewires forming the bodkin, so that a smooth and otherwise desirablebodkin pointis produced.

Among the objects of the invention lies the provision of bodkin cappingstructure which is relatively low in cost and highly efficient in use.

Another object herein lies ,in the provision of a machine of the classdescribed which will accurately anduniformlycap bodkin ends.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a machine having theabove described characteristics, yet which, is simple and. economical inoperation, and which may be either driven by hand or foot operatingmechanism.

die-pliers with a button and bodkin in plac These objects and otherincidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress ofthis disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings constituting a material part hereof, similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views inwhich:

Figure l is an enlarged elevationalview showing a completed bodkinassembly including the button, bodkin, and cap.

Figure 2 is a view taken similarly to Figure 1, showing the. parts inposition vjust prior to assembly.

Figure .3 is a view taken similarly to Figure 2 with the exception thatthe bodkin has been rotatedthrough about a vertical axis. j Figure. 4.is anenlarged fragmentary view partly: in section showing the manner inwhich the bodkin cap is maintained upon the wire en'dsof the bodkin.

Figure 5 isa view in perspective showing the just prior to the cappingoperation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from theplane 66 on Figure 5, most of the parts being shown in elevation. Figure7 is'an enlarged side elevational view partly in section, showing thebodkin machine in position just prior to the capping operation; Figure 8is a horizontal sectional .view as seen from the plane 8 -8 on Figure'7.

- Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical sectional View as mightbe seen fromthe plane '99 showing the'parts' in a posiiton which they occupy atthebeginning of the actual capping operation.

In accordance with the invention, therbodkin assembly It comprisesgenerally a button I I, hav-- ing aiface 12, a back 13, and abutton eyel4. For

most purposes, more satisfactory operation is obtained when. the eye I4is adapted to swivel slightly with relation to the back 13. Alsoincluded in the bodkin assembly H3 is a bodkin l5 and the bodkin cap It.The bodkin itself is preferably a U-shaped wire form and includes thearms l1. and I8 which have the straight ends i9 and 20, the button eyecentering portions 2 l and H t-he inwardly curved portions 23' and 24,and the outwardly curved portions 25 and 26, respectively. The portions2'! to 26, inclusive, form'a slot or bodkin eye, generally indicated bynum'eral 21. The straight ends 19- and 20 on the outwardly disposedsurfaces thereof are provided with notches 29 and 30'.

The die-pliers are generally indicated by nu-' meral 35: and theconstruction thereof is best seen in Figures 5 to 9, inclusive, of theaccompanying drawings. The die-pliers 35 comprise generally a pair ofpivotally interconnected levers 36 and 31. The levers 36 and 31 includejaw portions 38 and 39, pivotal portions 40 and 41', handle portions 42and 43, and a rivet 44, The levers are pivotally interconnected at thepivotal portions 40 and 4| by means of the rivet 4-4. The jaw portions38 and 39 have the outer vertical walls 46 and 41 thereof preferablyplanar and parallel, While the ends 43 and 49 of the jaws are preferablyin the same plane, fiat, and disposed at right angles to the walls 46and 41. The top walls 58 and 5| are preferably flat and parallel to thebottom walls 52 and 53. The inner opposed faces of the jaw portions 38and 39 have working faces 54 and 55. The working faces 54 and 55 areprovided with semi-cylindrical cap lower flange retaining portions 56and 51, rim crimping portions 58 and 59, bodkin straight end engagingportions 68 and 6I, bodkinubutton eye centering portion engagingrecesses 62 and 63, respectively. As seen in Figure 9, the cap I6includes a rounded head 64, and a cylindrical downy; g wardly extendingflange 65. The internal diameter of the flange 65 is preferably slightlygreater than the greatest distance between the outer sur-. I

faces of the straight ends I9 and 28' when the inner opposed surfaces ofsaid ends are in contact.

The flange retaining portions 56 and 51 are each semi-cylindrical inshape so that when the jaw portions 38 and 39 are brought together. theouter surface of the flange 65 makes a sliding fit therebetween. Thestraight end engaging portions 68 and BI are each provided'withaU-shaped vertical groove adapted to engage the end portions I9'and28. The depth of said U-shaped groove is such that when the working:faces 54 and 55 are in their closed position, thestraight ends I9 and 28are tightly clamped therebetween. The rim crimping portions 58 and 59are of curved configuration and converge from the flange retainingportions 56 and 51 to the straight end engaging portions 68 and 6|.The'recesses 62 and 63 are adapted to engage the outer surfaces of thebutton eye centering portions 2| and 22. The total'vertical thickness ofthejaw portions 38 and'39 is suchthat when the button eye centeringportions 2I and 22 are' fully upwardly seated within the recesses 62 and63, the upper terminals of the straight ends I9 and 28 will be disposedslightly above the top walls 58 and 5|, and the notches 29 and 38 willbe positioned adjacent'the lower edges of the rim crimping portions 58and 59, as best seen in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings. Theconvenient operation of thedie-pliers 35 may be facilitated by theincorporation of a small expansive spring 66 shown in Figures 6 and'8,the ends of the spring 66 are suitably anchored within the handleportions 42 and 43.

The press generally indicated by numeral '18 includes an operating leverH, a frame 12, a base 13, a ram 14, and a bolster 15. The ram 14 isprovided at the lower end thereof with a bore within which is seated thepunch 16. The punch- 16 is maintained in place in any suitable manner,as for example, by means of the set screw 11. The upper end of the ram14 has integrally extending therefrom a concentrically disposed driverod 18. The upper end of the drive rod 18 acts as a follower for the cam19 on the operating lever H. The lower inner end of the operating lever1I.is pivotally connected to the frame 12 by the pin 88.. The drive rod18 and the ram 14 are maintained in the normalupper or retractedposition thereof (see Figure 9) by the action of an expansive coilspring 8I, which is seated in a suitable bore in the frame 12, The upperend of the spring 8| is articulately associated with the drive rod 18 bymeans of the washer and pin structure 82.

The operating lever 1I may b maintained in its upper position thereof(as shown in Figure '1) by means of a counter-weight disposed to theleft of "the pin 88, as seen in said Figure, said counter weight beingwell known in press construction, and therefore not shown in thedrawings.

The frame 12 is provided with an outward extension 83 in the uppersurface of which is mounted a bolt 84, having a. lock-nut 85. Adjustmentof the bolt" 84 and lock-nut 85 serves to regulate the downward travelof the operating lever 1|, which strikes thereagainst.

The punch 16 has the lower terminal thereof shaped to conform to theupper andouter surface of'the rounded head 64, as seen in Figure 9. Thebolster 15 is of irregular configuration, best seen in Figures 7, 8, and9. The working surface 86 of the bolster is provided with an open endedslot 81,-and with a U-shaped guide portion 88. The'inner. opposedsurfaces of the arms of the U-shaped guide portion 88 are parallel andare spaced from "each other a distance substantially equal to or onlyslightly greater than the distance between the outer vertical walls 46and 41 ofithe die-pliers 35. The cross piece 89 of the guide portion 88is provided with a;screw;98 and a lock-nut 9|. By adjusting the screw 98and the lock-nut 9I, the position of the jdie-pliers 35 with relation tothe bolster and hence with relation to the punch 16 and the ram therebyregulated.

. operation First a bodkin' I5 is manually grasped, the same appearingas seenin Figure 2. A button II. is grasped and the eye I4 slipped overthe terminals of one of the straight ends I9 or 20, as for ex ample, asshown by the dot-dash lines-on Figure 2 on which the button eye has beenslipped over the terminal'of the end I9. The button is then pusheddownwardly so that the same takes the position of thebutton II inFigure. 1, where the eye I4 lies between the outwardly curved portions25and26.

At this-point,- in one method, the straightends I9 and 28 are'placedbetween. the working faces 54,and 55 of the die-pliers v35 with thebutton eye centering portions disposed -withinthe'. recesses 62 and 63.The handle portions 42 and43 ar'e manually'moved toward each otherand-the; j aw portions 38 and 39 are inserted betweenithe arms of. theU-shaped guide portion 88. cap I6 is placed upon the terminals of thestraight ends I 9 and 28 so that the lower rim of the flange 65 engagesthe rim crimping portions 56 and 59.

, An alternate. method is to squeeze the ends I9 and 28 tward eachother, place a cap I6 thereon, and then grasp the assemblybetweenthediepliers. I

The screw 98 and-lock-nut 9I are adjusteduntil the center of the roundedhead lice directly below the center of the corresponding femaledepression in the punch 16. The bolt 84 and the lock-nut 85 are adjustedso that the ram when. moved to its lowermost position will press thepunch 16 against the head 64 and force the lower the working facesthereof are separated and the completed button and capped bodkinwilldrop therefrom.

In use, the button and bodkin are inserted through the garment openingin a position shown in Figure 1, and after the bodkin has completelypassed through the garment, the bodkin is slid along the button eye l4,until the button takes a position shown by the dot-dash lines on Figure2,

the button being disposed on one face of the garment and the bodkin onthe other.

It may thus be seen that there has been provided a novel bodkin cappingmachine which may be constructed at relatively low cost and is efficientin operation so that capped bodkins may be produced in large numbers athigh speed and low cost. The machine is most efliciently operated whenthe die-pliers are manipulated with the left hand and the operatinglever H as well as the insertion and the removal of the bodkins from thepliers is acomplished with the right hand. The operation would then facethe machine as shown in Figure 7.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. For use with a bodkin assembly including a bodkin and a cap, a bodkincapping machine comprising: die pliers including a pair of pivotallyinterconnected levers each having a jaw portion and a handle portion,each jaw portion having a working face provided with a cap lower flangeretaining portion which is semi cylindrical in horizontal section, a rimcrimping portion which is generally concave having the configuration ofa portion of a sphere and the walls of which are downwardly converging,a bodkin straight end engaging portion disposed below and continuingdownwardly from the narrowest part of said rim crimping portion, saidbodkin straight end engaging portion being U-shaped in horizontalsection,

and a bodkin button eye centering portion engaging recess which extendsdeeper into said jaw portion than said bodkin straight end engaging 5portion, said working faces being oppositely disposed and adapted tosupport the bodkin and cap during the capping operation; and means tosupport the die pliers; and means to force the bodkin cap longitudinallyof the bodkin ends.

2. For use with a bodkin assembly including a bodkin and a cap, a bodkincapping machine comprising a press with a bolster and a ram reciprocablewith relation to said bolster; said bolster having a guide portion; diepliers including a pair of pivotally interconnected levers each having ajaw portion and a handle portion, each jaw portion having a working faceprovided with a cap lower flange retaining portion which issemicylindrical in horizontal section, a rim crimping portion which isgenerally concave having the configuration of a portion of a sphere andthe walls of which are downwardly converging, a bodkin straight endengaging portion disposed below and continuing downwardly from thenarrowest part of said rim crimping portion, said bodkin straight endengaging portion being U-shaped in horizontal section, and a bodkinbutton eye centering portion engaging recess which extends deeper intosaid jaw portion than said bodkin straight end engaging portion, saidworking faces being oppositely disposed and. adapted to support thebodkin and cap during the capping operation; said die pliers having thejaw portions thereof insertable in the guide portion of the bolster;said ram in a lowered position thereof being adapted to force the bodkincap longitudinally of the bodkin straight ends.

LOUIS HALPER.

